How to Choose a Colorado Closed Adoption
By David Seamonson
Private adoption Colorado narrows down to three options: Open, semi-open, and closed adoption. Each one of these options offers different benefits to birth mothers and determines how the adoption process will begin and how the result of the adoption plan will end up. To help you know more about one of the adoption types, we at Adoption Choices of Colorado will focus specifically on closed adoption, what it allows for each side of the adoption process to do, and what responsibilities they will have.
A closed adoption is the only adoption option that leaves each side of the adoption unknown to the other. This means that you will not get to meet the adopting family, but you will be able to select them.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption Choices of Colorado.
What is a Colorado Closed Adoption?
A closed adoption is a choice to not have any future contact with your child after the adoption process is completed. Many birth mothers choose this option. They want to remain out of their child’s lives because they could be seen as a burden. This could also be because birth mothers want to move on with their lives. Whatever your reason for selecting a closed adoption is up to you, but the decision is final when the adoption plan is set and both sides agree to the terms.
Unlike an open or semi-open adoption, you will not be able to see your child again, which is something that birth mothers seem to fear. Regardless, we will help you through this decision and help you find a great family that would love to take care of your child and love them as their own.
Will I be able to Select the Adoptive Family?
Regardless of which adoption option you pick, you can choose the adopting family since we want you to have as much control over the process as possible. You will have multiple families shown to you by the adoption agencies that give profiles on each family. These families have also selected the closed adoption option to understand your needs. Unfortunately, you will not be able to see the names of the family members. Still, you will be able to see the household research that shows some of their interests, such as Religion, age, professions, general location of their home, and many other things to help you feel comfortable about your choice in adoption.
Throughout this process, you will be able to have certain care provided to you, such as emotional support with our adoption experts, financial support for hospital visits, and comfort knowing that you can move on after the pregnancy. Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to help you through a Private adoption in Colorado and make a closed adoption an easy decision for you to make.
What the Process is Like for the Adoptive Family
From the view of an adopting family, this can be a great opportunity. They will submit their response to a series of household questions to help you decide whether they are a good fit for your child, and then they will be put into the system to be shown to you. When a family is looking into closed adoption, they are on the same page as you. They do not want to be in contact with the birth mother because they want their child to be their own. This may come from the fear that you would come back to take your baby back which is why this option fits them so well.
When the birth mother has chosen the adoption family, they will work with the adoption agency to finalize the adoption plan. They will follow that plan until the pregnancy is over, and then they will become the official parents of the child.
Choosing a Closed Adoption with Adoption Choices of Colorado
While this is the form of adoption that most people know about, it certainly is not the only one. Closed adoptions are beneficial to birth mothers in a place where they are not certain how their lives will turn out. They do not know if they would have been able to take care of their baby, and we want to provide the best security we can. A closed adoption is one of the best ways to leave the past behind you and to allow the adopting family peace of mind where they know their baby will always be theirs.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!